Foodie Fridays: Mushroom and Kale Pasta with Chicken and Marsala

This satisfying dish is full of my favorite things, including kale, mushrooms, chicken flavored with marsala, and pasta.  At first glance the recipe may seem a bit complicated, but that is only because you must keep adding liquid while making the sauce.  It is really a quick and easy dish to make.  I especially like the way the marsala wine compliments the flavor of the kale, adding just enough sweetness to balance out kale's slight bitterness.  We had a taste of cooler weather last week (gone for now, unfortunately), and this pasta dish was just the right type of dinner to serve.  I'll be making this recipe often in the fall!

Mushroom and Kale Pasta with Chicken and Marsala

2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
16 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
salt to taste
3 T. marsala
1 bag (12 oz.) chopped kale (about 10 C.)*
6 T. chicken stock
3 T. light cream
1 T. Wondra flour
2 C. diced cooked chicken
12 oz. whole wheat farfalle (or any short pasta)
grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil and 1 T. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Rinse and drain the mushroom slices and add to the pan.  Cook until softened, about 7-8 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt and cook for another minute.  Stir in the marsala and simmer for a few minutes.  Stir the kale in a few handfuls at a time, adding more as the previous batch wilts down.

When the kale is wilted, stir in 3 T. chicken stock and cook for a few more minutes.  Add the remaining 1 T. butter and stir until melted.  Pour in the cream.  Dissolve the Wondra flour in the remaining 3 T. chicken stock and add to the pan.  Cook and stir until the sauce thickens slightly (there will not be very much sauce, just barely enough to coat the vegetables).  Toss in the chicken, cover, and set aside.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 10 minutes until al dente.  Saving a cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta and return to the pan.  Stir in the chicken and vegetable mixture thoroughly until the pasta is coated with the sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking water if needed (I used about 1/4 cup).  Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.  Serves 6-8.

*I used Nature's Greens Organic Kale Greens.